Dumb title question I know. lol I couldn't think of another way to say it. Plus I know this goes in the shipping section, but it usually takes forever at times for questions there be answered.

Anyway, I was wondering if it was ok I turn a FLAT RATE Priority mailing box INSIDE OUT & use it to mail something.

I have gotten packages like this a number of times though from sellers on Ebay & this site.

The thing that worries me though is written on the side of boxes and mailers is a note saying: THIS PACKAGING IS THE PROPERTY OF THE US POSTAL SERVICE AND IS PROVIDED SOLEY FOR THE USE IN SENDING PRIORITY MAIL. MISUSE MAY BE A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW.

So I am wondering if I turn it inside out and use it to mail Priority mail then that will be ok.

What do you think?

The main reason I'm asking is I have a bunch of baby & toddler Halloween outfits that I want to sell on Ebay. I'm trying to figure out a way to package & mail them so the shipping will be low.

My other thought was to just carefully wrap the outfits in a plastic bag (double bag) & then use plain Brown Wrapping paper to wrap it. Would that be tacky though? It would be lighter than a box and help keep shipping low.

What do you think? I usually ship First Class or Media so I'm always at a loss when shipping some other way. lol

You cannot use that box, even if turned inside out, unless you're shipping at the Priority Mail rate.  Doesn't matter if you're recycling the box, doesn't matter if it's already been used, if it's caught in the mailstream the additional postage will be charged and your recipient will be charged the postage due.

USPS doesn't care, though, if you're using the free flat boxes that UPS or FedEx provides, though.  ;-)

Thanks.

I dared to look inside our garage (braving the spiders, dust and JUNK) & found 4 that wouldn't crush the outfits.

Now I just have to weigh them and figure out the cheapest yet best way to ship them. Any advice would be great.

One box I have weights 1 pound & 10oz. It says FED EX on it so I'm going to have to wrap it in brown paper which will add a little more weight. Also I plan to add something inside the box to protect the outfit. So I'm sure that will bring the weight up to around 2 pounds and something. Just a guess.

You do not have to cover the Fed Ex box. Just make sure the address it is going to is easy to read.

A 2 pound box will cost between $8.25 and $4.80 to send priority mail, depending on the the distance it has to go. If you print the postage yourself, you get free delivery confirmation and 3% discount on the postage.

A 3 pound box will be $5.20 and up to you will want to use that flat rate box for $9.80.

Parcel post is cheaper by a few cents or dollars (weight and distance make the difference), but it is slower and ends up postage due if forwarded or returned just like media mail.

I do not think it is tacky to use a sturdy bag. If it will stay together and not hurt the contents, why not.

I get clothing all the time from catalogs that are in bags.   They are in light plastic bags inside and then in a tyvek type bag.   Some of the places I have been ordering from have been doing that for ages.

what i always do when calculating shipping for ebay is package the item(s) so that all you have to do is add the requesters address. then i measure and weigh the package. and i like being able to give people different options, so based on the dimentions and weight, i usually give them the option to choose ups, priority, parcel post, etc

yes you can use a fedex box and send it via the postal service (they will accept it as is

you just cant reuse a priority mail box (unless you are sending it priority mail (even if you turn it inside out (the postal service

has gotten wise to that fact and sometimes even imprints priority mail on the inside of those boxes

Where do you get the free fedex and ups boxes and bags, can I order them through the mail like I do the PO boxes?

To get the FedEx and UPS boxes free, you must have an account with them.  I think their agreement to get free shipping supplies is along the line of the USPS'.  You agree to use the stuff only for FedEx or UPS shipments.

Just like the USPS does not care if you use FedEx or UPS boxes, FedEx and UPS don't care if you use the free Priority Mail boxes to ship with them either.  Not that I advocate doing either of those.

For clothing, I'd invest in bubble mailers or padded mailers or tyvek envelopes.  All are pretty lightweight and pretty darned strong.

How do you go about gettig an account, I have signed up on the websits, but they want an account number?

you do not need an account with Fedex to get the boxes you can go to any fedex service center or fedex kinkos

and pick up the boxes for  free

you only need an account if you want ship via Fedex and have them deliver your boxes

I happen to work for Fedex office (formerly Fedex kinkos formerly Kinkos)